Bottle Cleaning System

ABSTRACT

A bottle cleaning system includes a bottle that has an outer wall, a bottom wall and an open end. The bottle has an inner surface and the open end has an edge. A cleaning unit is provided and the cleaning unit is removably coupled to a support surface. The baby bottle is selectively positioned on the cleaning unit and the cleaning unit scrubs the inner surface of the bottle and the edge of the open end. A shield is coupled around the cleaning unit to inhibit water related to cleaning the bottle from splashing onto the support surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to cleaning devices and more particularly pertains to a new cleaning device for cleaning an interior of a bottle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bottle that has an outer wall, a bottom wall and an open end. The bottle has an inner surface and the open end has an edge. A cleaning unit is provided and the cleaning unit is removably coupled to a support surface. The baby bottle is selectively positioned on the cleaning unit and the cleaning unit scrubs the inner surface of the bottle and the edge of the open end. A shield is coupled around the cleaning unit to inhibit water related to cleaning the bottle from splashing onto the support surface.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning unit and a shield of a bottle cleaning system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a cleaning unit and a shield of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of cleaning unit and a shield of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cut away in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new cleaning device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the bottle cleaning system 10 generally comprises a bottle 12 that has an outer wall 14, a bottom wall 16 and an open end 18. The bottle 12 has an inner surface 20 and the open end 18 has an edge 22. The bottle 12 may be a baby bottle 12 or the like and a feeding nipple 24 may be included with the bottle 12. The feeding nipple 24 may be a baby bottle nipple or the like.

A cleaning unit 26 is provided and the cleaning unit 26 is removably coupled to a support surface 28 having the cleaning unit 26 being vertically oriented on the support surface 28. The support surface 28 may be a table or the like and the baby bottle 12 is selectively positioned on the cleaning unit 26. The cleaning unit 26 scrubs the inner surface 20 of the bottle 12 and the edge 22 of the open end 18. Thus, the cleaning unit 26 cleans an interior of the bottle 12 when the bottle 12 has been used for feeding an infant or the like.

The cleaning unit 26 comprises a shaft 30 that has a first end 32, a second end 34 and an outer surface 36 extending therebetween. The second end 34 has a well 38 extending toward the first end 32. The well 38 has a bounding surface 40 and the bounding surface 40 is threaded.

A plurality of first bristles 42 is provided and each of the first bristles 42 is coupled to and extends away from the outer surface 36 of the shaft 30. The first bristles 42 are distributed around the shaft 30 and the first bristles 42 are distributed between the first end 32 and the second end 34. Each of the first bristles 42 frictionally engages the inner surface 20 corresponding to the outer wall 14 of the bottle 12 when the bottle 12 is slid onto the shaft 30 to clean the bottle 12. Each of the first bristles 42 may be comprised of a flexible material such as rubber or the like.

A plurality of sponges 44 is provided and each of the sponges 44 is coupled to and extends away from the first end 32 of the shaft 30. The sponges 44 are arranged to radiate outwardly from the first end 32. Each of the sponges 44 frictionally engages the inner surface 20 corresponding to the bottom wall 16 of the bottle 12 when the bottle 12 is slid onto the shaft 30. Each of the sponges 44 may comprise synthetic sponges or the like.

A sleeve 46 is provided that has a primary end 48, a secondary end 50 and an exterior surface 52 extending therebetween. The exterior surface 52 is threaded adjacent to the primary end 48 and the well 38 in the shaft 30 insertably receives the primary end 48. The sleeve 46 threadably engages the bounding surface 40 of the well 38 to retain the sleeve 46 on the shaft 30. The secondary end 50 is open and the sleeve 46 is substantially hollow. The sleeve 46 has an interior surface 54 and the interior surface 54 is threaded adjacent to the secondary end 50.

A brush 56 is removably coupled to the sleeve 46 and the brush 56 is may be manipulated to clean the baby bottle 12. The brush 56 comprises a disk 58 that has a top surface 60, a bottom surface 62 and a peripheral edge 64 extending therebetween. The peripheral edge 64 is threaded and the peripheral edge 64 threadably engages the interior surface 54 of the sleeve 46. The threads on the peripheral edge 64 may be quarter turn threads or the like. In this way the brush 56 is removably coupled to the sleeve 46 with a quarter turn. A nipple 66 is coupled to and extends downwardly from the bottom surface 62 of the disk 58.

A plurality of second bristles 68 is provided and each of the second bristles 96 is coupled to and extends upwardly from the top surface 60. Each of the second bristles 96 frictionally engages the bottle 12 when the brush 56 is manipulated to clean the bottle 12. The second bristles 96 are positioned within the sleeve 46 when the disk 58 is threadably coupled to the sleeve 46. The plurality of second bristles 68 has a sequentially decreasing length such that the plurality of second bristles 68 defines a Christmas tree shape. In this way the plurality of second bristles 68 may clean the interior of the feeding nipple 24 on the bottle 12.

A base 70 is provided and the base 70 is positioned to engage the support surface 28. The sleeve 46 is removably coupled to the base 70 having the shaft 30 extending upwardly from the base 70. The base 70 comprises a plate 72 that has an upper side 74 and a lower side 76. The upper side 74 has a well 78 extending toward the lower side 76 and the well 78 corresponding to the plate 72 insertably receives the nipple 66 on the disk 58. In this way the brush 56 and the sleeve 46 are removably attached to the base 70.

A mating member 80 is provided and the mating member 80 is coupled to the lower side 76 of the plate 72. The mating member 80 is engages the support surface 28 and the mating member 80 inhibits the base 70 from sliding on the support surface 28. In this way the cleaning unit 26 is inhibited from sliding laterally on the support surface 28 when the bottle 12 is cleaned. The mating member 80 may comprise a suction cup or the like to suctionally engage the support surface 28.

A shield 82 is provided and the shield 82 is coupled around the cleaning unit 26. The shield 82 inhibits water related to cleaning the bottle 12 from splashing onto the support surface 28. The shield 82 comprises a cone 84 that has a narrow end 86, a wide end 88 and an exterior wall 90 extending therebetween. The cone 84 has an inner surface 92 and the exterior wall 90 tapers inwardly between the wide end 88 and the narrow end 86. The wide end 88 is open and the cone 84 is substantially hollow.

The second end 34 of the shaft 30 is coupled to the inner surface 92 corresponding to the narrow end 86. The primary end 48 of the sleeve 46 extends through the narrow end 86 to threadably engage the shaft 30. The inner surface 92 of the cone 84 angles inwardly between the exterior wall 90 and the narrow end 86 to define an engaging surface 94 in the cone 84. The cone 84 is comprised of a fluid impermeable material such as plastic or the like.

A plurality of second bristles 96 is provided and each of the second bristles 96 is coupled to and extends away from the engaging surface 94 of the cone 84. The second bristles 96 are spaced apart and are distributed on the engaging surface 94. Each of the second bristles 96 frictionally engages the edge 22 of the bottle 12 when the bottle 12 is slid onto the shaft 30. In this way the edge 22 of the bottle 12 is cleaned.

In use, the mating member 80 is manipulated to engage the support surface 28. The bottle 12 is slid over the shaft 30 and the bottle 12 is twisted back and forth. Each of the sponges 44, the first bristles 42 and the second bristles 96 frictionally engages the bottle 12. In this way the interior of the bottle 12 and the edge 22 of the bottle 12 are cleaned. The shield 82 inhibits the water associated with cleaning the bottle 12 from splashing onto the support surface 28 and a user. In this way the shield 82 inhibits cleaning the bottle 12 from creating an additional mess to be cleaned up.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, system and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A bottle cleaning system comprising: a bottle having an outer wall, a bottom wall and an open end, said bottle having an inner surface, said open end having an edge; a cleaning unit being configured to be removably coupled to a support surface having said cleaning unit being vertically oriented on the support surface, said baby bottle being selectively positioned on said cleaning unit, said cleaning unit scrubbing said inner surface of said bottle and said edge of said open end, said cleaning unit including a shaft having a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said second end having a well extending toward said first end, said well having a bounding surface, said bounding surface being threaded, said cleaning unit including a sleeve having a primary end, a secondary end and an exterior surface extending therebetween, said exterior surface being threaded adjacent to said primary end, said well in said shaft insertably receiving said primary end, said sleeve threadably engaging said bounding surface of said well to retain said sleeve on said shaft, said secondary end being open, said sleeve being substantially hollow, said sleeve having an interior surface, said interior surface being threaded adjacent to said secondary end, said cleaning unit including a brush being removably coupled to said sleeve wherein said brush is configured to be manipulated to clean the baby bottle, said brush including a disk having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending therebetween, said peripheral edge being threaded, said peripheral edge threadably engaging said interior surface of said sleeve; and a shield being coupled around said cleaning unit wherein said shield is configured to inhibit water related to cleaning said bottle from splashing onto the support surface.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first bristles, each of said first bristles being coupled to and extending away from said outer surface of said shaft, said first bristles being distributed around said shaft, said first bristles being distributed between said first end and said second end, each of said first bristles frictionally engaging said inner surface corresponding to said outer wall of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft to clean said bottle.
 4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sponges, each of said sponges being coupled to and extending away from said first end of said shaft, said sponges being radiating outwardly from said first end, each of said sponges frictionally engaging said inner surface corresponding to said bottom wall of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft.
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second bristles, each of said second bristles being coupled to and extending upwardly from said top surface such that each of said second bristles frictionally engages the bottle when said brush is manipulated to clean said bottle, said second bristles being positioned within said sleeve when said disk is threadably coupled to said sleeve.
 9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a nipple being coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom surface.
 10. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a base being configured to engage the support surface, said sleeve being removably coupled to said base having said shaft extending upwardly from said base.
 11. A bottle cleaning system comprising: a bottle having an outer wall, a bottom wall and an open end, said bottle having an inner surface, said open end having an edge; a cleaning unit being configured to be removably coupled to a support surface having said cleaning unit being vertically oriented on the support surface, said baby bottle being selectively positioned on said cleaning unit, said cleaning unit scrubbing said inner surface of said bottle and said edge of said open end, said cleaning unit including a shaft having a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said second end having a well extending toward said first end, said well having a bounding surface, said bounding surface being threaded, said cleaning unit including a sleeve having a primary end, a secondary end and an exterior surface extending therebetween, said exterior surface being threaded adjacent to said primary end, said well in said shaft insertably receiving said primary end, said sleeve threadably engaging said bounding surface of said well to retain said sleeve on said shaft, said secondary end being open, said sleeve being substantially hollow, said sleeve having an interior surface, said interior surface being threaded adjacent to said secondary end, said cleaning unit includes a brush, said brush having a nipple; a base being configured to engage the support surface, said sleeve being removably coupled to said base having said shaft extending upwardly from said base, said base comprises a plate having an upper side and a lower side, said upper side having a well extending toward said lower side, said well corresponding to said plate insertably receiving said nipple; and a mating member being coupled to said lower side of said plate wherein said mating member is configured to engage the support surface.
 12. The system according to claim 3, wherein said shield comprises a cone having a narrow end, a wide end and an exterior wall extending therebetween, said cone having an inner surface, said exterior wall tapering inwardly between said wide end and said narrow end, said wide end being open, said cone being substantially hollow, said second end of said shaft being coupled to said inner surface corresponding to said narrow end, said primary end of said sleeve extending through said narrow end to threadably engage said shaft.
 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said inner surface angles inwardly between said exterior wall and said narrow end to define an engaging surface in said cone.
 14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of second bristles, each of said second bristles being coupled to and extending away from said engaging surface of said cone, said second bristles being spaced apart and being distributed on said engaging surface, each of said second bristles frictionally engaging said edge of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft to clean said edge.
 15. A bottle cleaning system comprising: a bottle having an outer wall, a bottom wall and an open end, said bottle having an inner surface, said open end having an edge; a cleaning unit being configured to be removably coupled to a support surface having said cleaning unit being vertically oriented on the support surface, said baby bottle being selectively positioned on said cleaning unit, said cleaning unit scrubbing said inner surface of said bottle and said edge of said open end, said cleaning unit comprising: a shaft having a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said second end having a well extending toward said first end, said well having a bounding surface, said bounding surface being threaded, a plurality of first bristles, each of said first bristles being coupled to and extending away from said outer surface of said shaft, said first bristles being distributed around said shaft, said first bristles being distributed between said first end and said second end, each of said first bristles frictionally engaging said inner surface corresponding to said outer wall of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft to clean said bottle, a plurality of sponges, each of said sponges being coupled to and extending away from said first end of said shaft, said sponges being radiating outwardly from said first end, each of said sponges frictionally engaging said inner surface corresponding to said bottom wall of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft, a sleeve having a primary end, a secondary end and an exterior surface extending therebetween, said exterior surface being threaded adjacent to said primary end, said well in said shaft insertably receiving said primary end, said sleeve threadably engaging said bounding surface of said well to retain said sleeve on said shaft, said secondary end being open, said sleeve being substantially hollow, said sleeve having an interior surface, said interior surface being threaded adjacent to said secondary end, a brush being removably coupled to said sleeve wherein said brush is configured to be manipulated to clean the baby bottle, said brush comprising: a disk having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending therebetween, said peripheral edge being threaded, said peripheral edge threadably engaging said interior surface of said sleeve, a plurality of second bristles, each of said second bristles being coupled to and extending upwardly from said top surface such that each of said second bristles frictionally engages the bottle when said brush is manipulated to clean said bottle, said second bristles being positioned within said sleeve when said disk is threadably coupled to said sleeve, and a nipple being coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom surface; a base being configured to engage the support surface, said sleeve being removably coupled to said base having said shaft extending upwardly from said base, said base comprising: a plate having an upper side and a lower side, said upper side having a well extending toward said lower side, said well corresponding to said plate insertably receiving said nipple, and a mating member being coupled to said lower side of said plate wherein said mating member is configured to engage the support surface; and a shield being coupled around said cleaning unit wherein said shield is configured to inhibit water related to cleaning said bottle from splashing onto the support surface, said shield comprising: a cone having a narrow end, a wide end and an exterior wall extending therebetween, said cone having an inner surface, said exterior wall tapering inwardly between said wide end and said narrow end, said wide end being open, said cone being substantially hollow, said second end of said shaft being coupled to said inner surface corresponding to said narrow end, said primary end of said sleeve extending through said narrow end to threadably engage said shaft, said inner surface angling inwardly between said exterior wall and said narrow end to define an engaging surface in said cone, and a plurality of second bristles, each of said second bristles being coupled to and extending away from said engaging surface of said cone, said second bristles being spaced apart and being distributed on said engaging surface, each of said second bristles frictionally engaging said edge of said bottle when said bottle is slid onto said shaft to clean said edge. 